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Bugatti Black Bess

Bugatti's fifth model in the six-part Legends series will be unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show next week. This car was designed as a tribute to the pre-WWI Bugatti Type 18 dubbed “Black Bess”.

The Type 18 was featured a 5.0-liter 4-cylinder in-line engine producing around 100 horse power, with a top speed of 100mph it was an engineering marvel of the early 1900's. Only seven Type 18s were build and Black Bess was the personal car of French aviator Roland Garros, who named the car after a famous English race horse.

The original Black Bess is one of just three Type 18's left in the word and will join its modern namesake at the Beijing premiere.

All Bugatti Legends are based on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, with a 1,184hp 8-liter W16 engine. The carbon fiber bodywork is painted completely black with 24-carat gold accents. The interior features handpainted door panels that depict the Type 18 as well as Garros' airplane.

As with all Bugatti Legends models, only three will be made, the price of such exclusivity is $2.97 million.